Drop former bottle cap



July 17, 1951 R. L. THONEN DROP FORMER BOTTLE CAP Filed Sept. 27, 1946 VIN VENTOR. Robert L. 7770/78/7 Attorneys Patented July 17, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DROP FORMER BOTTLE. CAP Robert L. Thonen, St. Petersburg, Fla. Application September 27, 1946, Serial No. 699,839

The present invention relates to bottle caps and is more particularly concerned with a closure which controls the flow from a bottle or other liquid container.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of the character referred to whereby medicines and like fluids may be dispensed under control.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and durable device of the character referred to which will dispense the liquid contents of a bottle or other container by drops or in a steady stream.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character referred to of simpler and more compact construction than prior devices.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists of the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the novel cap in operative position on the neck of a container.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the cap turned partially and in pouring position.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the control gasket which is a component of the cap.

Like numerals as used in the description and drawing, designate the same parts of construction.

i is the container, provided With a threaded neck II. The cap ll! of conventional type is threaded interiorly to fit the neck and its top is preferably flat.

Seated in the cap contiguous to the under side of its top is a disc-shaped gasket l3, and normally contacts and seals the neck of the container. When the liquid is being dispensed it will be in close proximity to the lip of the neck.

An integral tab 14, on the perimeter of the gasket, projects through an aperture IS in the flange of the cap. This aperture is sufliciently large to allow the liquid in the container to flow by the tab. The gasket is preferably non-flexible and made from a suitable material to be impervious to the liquid and also to resist deleterious action thereof. The tab may be of any suitable design, such as that illustrated, or it may be shaped like a truncated cone, a short cylindrical extension, or a flat, narrow strip.

Diametrically opposed to the aperture [5, an

2 Claims.- (01. 222-420) air vent 16 in cap I 2 facilitates the flow of liquid from the container. When the gasket is in place its under side will be in proximity to the air vent but above same. The sizes of apertures I5 and IE will be governed by the size of tab I 4, which will depend largely on the material used for the gasket.

It will be understood that the gasket material will depend to a large extent on the character of the liquid in the container and the gaskets, therefore, will be made interchangeable. The gasket, when made of flexible material, will also function in association with convex crown caps.

In operation, the cap will dispense the liquid either by drops or in a steady stream, as desired. By loosening the cap a trifle and then tilting the bottle, the short extension or tab I 4 will emit in drops. When the cap is turned more a steady stream is produced. To stop the flow altogether, the cap is screwed down tight, thus sealing the bottle.

As different embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it will be understood that the matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative merely and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with an externally threaded bottle neck having on its open upper end a drop forming closure comprising a cap comprising a top having a depending sidewall having internal screw threads engaged with the external threads of the bottle neck, said sidewall being formed with a lateral opening therethrough immediately below the underside of the top of the cap. a disk loosely positioned within said cap, said disk being of sufiicient area to close the open upper end of the bottle neck when compressed thereon, a radial extension on said disk projecting loosely through said opening and beyond the sidewall of said cap, said cap being normally screwed down upon the bottle neck in a closed position wherein the underside of the cap top is forcibly engaged with the upper side of said disk and the disk is thereby depressed into closing relation to the open upper end of the bottle neck, said cap being arranged to be screwed upwardly on said bottle neck from the closed position to another position in which said disk is freed from closing relation to the open upper end of the bottle neck and said radial projection is loose in said sidewall opening whereby upon tilting the bottle neck in the direction of said projection liquid present therein can flow through.

said opening and along said projection to drop therefrom.

2. The combination with an externally threaded bottle neck having on its open upper end a drop forming closure comprising a cap comprising a top having a depending side wall having internal screw threads engaged with the external threads of the bottle neck, said sidewall be formed with a lateral opening therethrough immediately below the underside of the top of the cap, a disk loosely positioned within said cap,

said disk being of sufiicient area to close the open upper end of the bottle neck when compressed thereon, a radial extension on said disk projecting loosely through said opening and beyond the sidewall of said cap, said cap being normally screwed down upon the bottle neck in a closed in said sidewall opening whereby upon tilting the bottle neck in the direction of said projection liquid present therein can flow through said opening and along said projection to drop therefrom, said cap sidewall being formed with a radial vent passage located at a level below said disk in the closed position of said cap whereby said passage is occluded by the bottle neck, said passage being unoccluded and open in the other position of the cap.

ROBERT L. TI-IONEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 file of this patent:

position wherein the underside of the cap top is I forcibly engaged with the upper side of said disk and the disk is thereby depressed into closing 20 relation to the open upper end of the bottle neck, said cap being arranged to be screwed upwardly on said bottle neck from the closed position to another position in which said disk is freed from closing relation to the open upper end of the bottle neck and said radial projection is loose UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,509,452 Taras Sept. 23, 1924 1,996,533 Weickel Apr. 2, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 841,133 France May 10, 1939 142,078 Austria June 11, 1935 

